he is said to dwell in the castle of Kronborg, his beard grown down to the floor, and to sleep there until some date when Denmark is in mortal danger, at which time he will rise up and deliver the nation

Thursday, January 31, 2008

What a great representative of the United States of America, Erykah Badu, is (spit). The American hip hop artist visits the palestinians and here's what she does:

1. Badu wears an anti-Iraq War tee shirt2. Expresses support for Louis Farrakhan3. Expresses support for the palestinians (meaning, the terrorists)4. Badu could not name a single Israeli hip hop artist

You can read the full story here from Haaretz.But it's my view that the United States puts a quarrantine on Badu and not let her back into the U.S. She's a traitor. Let her spend a couple of years in Gaza and see if she changes her tune. See how much she "identifies" with the palestinians at that point. Let her tour Iraq and see if she's against the War in Iraq anymore.

Sit in Gaza, bitch for two years and then come back to the U.S. and tell us who you identify with.

Sporting a huge, billowing afro and a T-shirt with an anti-Iraq war slogan, Erykah Badu expressed her support of black leader Louis Farrakhan and the Palestinian cause Thursday before a crowd of Israeli fans and journalists in Tel Aviv. The Grammy-award winning neo-soul vocalist, 36, is in Tel Aviv to perform on Saturday night. She has also won acclaim for her acting roles in Cider House Rules and House of D. "I come from across the water bringing light and hope," said Badu in her deep, languid voice. She commissioned a poster design especially for her visit to Israel, featuring a large hamsa, a traditional Middle Eastern good luck charm, that appears to be growing out of her hair. At the bottom, the words for peace in Hebrew and Arabic appear side by side.

"They use (hip hop) as a form of liberation, as a form of pre-resistance, as a form of therapy," Badu said. Badu defended Louis Farrakhan, the leader of the Nation of Islam, who has drawn fire over the years with pronouncements including praise for Hitler in a 1984 speech, for which he was censured by the U.S. Senate, repeatedly denouncing Israel and the Jewish people and calling the pretense for the war in Iraq a Zionist conspiracy. The Anti-Defamation League, a leading Jewish group, has labeled Farrakhan's statements bigoted and anti-Semitic. On its Web site, the ADL lists dozens of Farrakhan statements it considers anti-Semitic. "(Farrakhan is) not an anti-Semite. He loves all people," insisted Badu. Her next album, Nu AmErykah will be released February 26, the date of Savior's Day, a main Nation of Islam holiday.

UPDATE!!! OMG! An islamic website is reporting that Abu Laith al Libi WAS KILLED in this airstrike! holy shit! If that is true it is huge!!!! beyond huge. This will all have to be confirmed by wire services but this would be the biggest kill for the U.S. in a very long time.

Holy smokes! This is taking my breath away. In the airstrike that killed 13 al Qaeda members in the NW Pakistani area of Waziristan a couple of days ago, new information has come out that is startling. That info is:

1. The airstrike was carried out by U.S. forces! Yes, U.S. forces killed the al Qaeda members INSIDE OF PAKISTAN by missiles fired by the U.S. in Afghanistan.2. The attack was targeting two major al Qaeda leaders and the dead reveal that all 13 dead al Qaeda are Asians and Arabs.

It appears that the al Qaeda targets, Abu Laith al Libi and Abu Obaidah al Masri, were not at the location but more information will be coming.The key issue is the U.S. involvement here and whether we had the blessings of Musharraf and how this will be perceived by the Taliban and supporters in NW Pakistan. There are some peace negotiations going on with Pakistan now and this could really make it dicy.Either way, this is incredibly good news - the word is out in Pakistan for all al Qaeda and Taliban that the U.S. is watching them and is NOT afraid to take their asses out!

The Jan. 29 airstrike against a Taliban safe house in Pakistan's North Waziristan may have targeted two senior al Qaeda leaders, the Pakistani press is reporting. The airstrike was carried out by US forces in Afghanistan and killed 13, according to local tribesman in the town of Khushali Tari Khel near Mir Ali on the Pakistan-Afghan frontier. Seven Arab members of al Qaeda and six Central Asian operatives were reported killed in the attack. The targets of the strike may have been Al Qaeda leaders Abu Laith al Libi and Abu Obaidah al Masri.

Two senior al Qaeda leaders, Abu Laith al Libi and Abu Obaidah al Masri, were believed to be the targets of the strike, The News reported. A Taliban spokesman denied the al Qaeda leaders were the location of the attack. One of al Libi's deputies may have been killed in the strike.Abu Laith al Libi is a military commander in Afghanistan and also serves as an al Qaeda spokesman. Abu Obaidah al Masri is al Qaeda’s operations chief for the Kunar, Afghanistan. Kunar is a strategic hub for al Qaeda operations in the northeast. Obaidah was thought to have been killed in the January 2006 airstrike on a compound in the Bajaur, Pakistan tribal agency.At the time, anonymous Pakistani intelligence officials told U.S. officials that claimed six senior al Qaeda operatives were killed in the attack. Pakistani intelligence claimed Midhat Mursi al Sayid Umar (Abu Khabab), al Qaeda's WMD expert; Abdul Rahman al Maghribi, Zawahiri's son-in-law and an al Qaeda military commander; Marwan al Suri, the Waziristan operations chief; Khalid Habib, the commander of southeastern Afghanistan commander; Abd al Hadi al Iraqi, a member of al Qaeda's military committee; and Obaidah were killed in the missile attack. The Washington Post reported almost two years later that they had, in fact, survived the attack.

When you read this article from MEMRI, just imagine if your own daughters were being exposed to this day in and day out in their schools. A Saudi columnist in the Saudi paper, Al-Wattan, has written an expose' on how a culture of death is being forced upon young Saudi girls by their teachers. Look at these two excerpts from the article:

"A woman I know noticed that her eight-year-old daughter was distressed: She suddenly began wetting her bed at night, and suffered from nightmares that made her cry. This was caused by stories told by one of her teachers, about the tortures of the grave and the hammer-wielding angels of destruction called Munkar and Nakir [2]... [and] about the Angel of Death who does not rest until he has taken the souls that he is commanded to take, and about the agonies of dying suffered by those who were slack in their observance of the religious commandments. All these [stories] were aimed at encouraging the girls to pray. [But] this teacher, and others like her, forgot that the best way to encourage innocent girls and prompt them to do things is to instill in them the love of Allah, of His Paradise, and of His mercy.

"As one of the older generation, I still remember how schools would bring [into the classroom] women whose job it was to wash the bodies of the dead, wrap them in shrouds, and weep over them, causing our little eyes to water in fear... I will never forget how, during the first year of junior high, as part of our religious studies, the [school] administration [brought] one of these body-washers [to speak to us]. She taught us how to wash the body of our mother, sister, or other female relative, in case we had to do this in the future. She [also] told us about the terrible things that happen to the dead, [and stressed that] only those who had devoted themselves entirely to the faith were spared [these horrors]... You can imagine how [the girls] fainted and cried - which, unfortunately, was considered to be to the credit of the woman who frightened us, so that other schools began to compete for her services."

And we in the West, wonder how in the world, a young woman could strap a suicide bomb belt around her and blow away innocents all the time leaving behind her own children. This is how and why. This is an ideology of submission, intimidation, and death. It is a blight upon this planet. And it is robbing the hopes and dreams of young innocents.

More excerpts follow.

Saudi Columnist on Preoccupation With Death in Saudi Girls' SchoolsIn two columns in the Saudi daily Al-Watan, titled "What's Happening in the Girls' Schools?" and "Who Will Sound the Warning Bell in the Girls Schools?" Halima Muzaffar criticizes the Saudi education system for using scare tactics and for instilling in young children the fear of death, as part of their religious education. She claims that this "culture of death" is the reason for the spread of terrorism in Saudi society.

"It appears that, for some teachers, [employing techniques based on] sterile drilling and destroying the girls' talents are not enough... They are also trying to destroy their souls through fear. These teachers are spreading 'the culture of death' without any supervision or control. Perhaps, in their ignorance, they are trying [in this way] to imbue their lessons with a moral [message]... and perhaps they are [only] doing this so they can put down 'religious activity' in their personal files... in the hope of receiving special commendation [from the administration].

"Let me put it plainly: We must realize that this 'culture of death' is the main reason that the ideological terrorism of takfir [accusing others of heresy] and various [other] sorts of terrorism are endorsed by our society. To eradicate this cancer, we must address its roots - namely, the social seclusion of women. [3] [We must reform the upbringing of] the young girls who will later become women, mothers, and educators - for it is they who will shape the next generation. We must stop exploiting their innocence. We have had enough generations of closed[-minded people] who know nothing but death and perdition." [4]

"A reader named Saleh Al-Salouli told me that one day, his daughter returned [from school] in shock after the teacher had forced them to watch an execution... This story should alert the girls' schools [to the existence of a problem], and make the [Education] Ministry considerably tighten its supervision [over the schools]. For how can they continue to employ a principal who had turned an execution into part of the curriculum for little girls?...

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Okay, this story is buried deep inside another story in JPost, so don't let the story headline below, fool you What I've done is excerpt below the section of the story that deals with this telling arrest of a terror cell in Egypt. That terror cell is made up of Palestinians who of course have the usual wardrobe of suicide bomb belts. Now, we all know that when you talk about "terrorist cells" from Palestine, it's either Hamas, Islamic Jihad or al Qaeda. My guess here is that it's a group linked to the new al Qaeda band in Gaza.Nevertheless, Egypt is going to find out quickly that their first mistake was not constructing a border wall at Gaza that was concrete. And their second mistake was not shooting dead every palestinian that crossed the border the other day.

Jan 30, 2008 0:20 Updated Jan 31, 2008 0:03Israel may let more Egyptian troops at RafahAlso Wednesday, Egyptian officials said security forces captured a cell of Palestinian terrorists that infiltrated Sinai from Gaza and was in possession of a number of explosive belts. Israeli defense officials confirmed the report and said that additional Gazan terrorists, with plans to infiltrate into Israel, were believed to be hiding in Sinai after crossing into there via the open border in recent days.A report in the semi-official Egyptian daily Al-Ahram said several other Palestinians were caught in Egypt with blueprints of the border crossings between Israel and Egypt, including the location of security posts. The Egyptian authorities also confiscated sniper rifles and explosives that were found in the possession of the suspects.The report also said that other Palestinians had tried to bribe Egyptian policemen to allow them to cross border checkpoints with explosives and weapons.

This is HUGE news, folks! Eighteen tribes in Orazkai Agency (a "province" in Pakistan) have decided to band together and form an army to rout out the Taliban from their land! And we aren't talking about a few pickup trucks full of dudes here...the initial "rally" for this new Pakistani Awakening Council version was attended by 10,000-15,000 armed men. I figure with 15,000 tribal patriots combing the mountains in search of Taliban, we are going to see a lot of Taliban tail heading north into Afghanistan, hopefully into the arms of awaiting Apaches.These tribes have even set up a fine system for any tribe that gives shelter to the Taliban!Unbelievable. Now, unfortunately, we will probably see some offensive strikes against this new coalition to try and defeat its spirit before it starts but this is truly wonderful news.

18 Orakzai tribes form Lashkar against TalibanLAHORE: After the killing of three levies personnel by local militants in Orakzai Agency on Saturday night, 18 tribes of the agency have decided to form a Lashkar (tribal army) against the Taliban to flush them out of the area, reported BBC Urdu on Tuesday.A grand jirga of the 18 tribes was held in Ghuljoo, Orakzai Agency headquarters, on Monday morning, which was attended by around ten to fifteen thousand armed men.Talking to BBC, head of Rabiakhel tribe Malik Zaman Shah said all tribes had unanimously decided not to give shelter to any militant in the area and any tribe breaching the pledge would be punished with Rs 10 million in fine and a hundred houses of the tribe would be burnt down.End to fight: He said the jirga had also settled ‘Islam Zona’ to temporarily end mutual enmities between the local tribes. The local tribes will, according to the decision, not fight each other until the area is cleared of militants.Thousands of Pakistani forces are battling suspected militants in the tribal region bordering Afghanistan, where scores of militants and troops have died in clashes in recent weeks. Militants have stepped up attacks against government troops there.

The latest rantings from the emir of Pakistan's Taliban, By'atullah Mahsoud:

"We want to eradicate Britain and America, and to shatter the arrogance and tyranny of the infidels. We pray that Allah will enable us to destroy the White House, New York, and London. We place our trust in Allah. Soon, we will witness the miracles of jihad."

Two other telling quotes and then I'll excerpt more from the interview:

"Our response will be more bitter than his deeds. We will teach him a lesson that will be recorded in the pages of history in letters of gold. The crimes of these murderers, who were acting at Bush's command, are unforgivable. Soon, we will take vengeance upon them for destroying the mosques. The pure land of Pakistan does not tolerate traitors. They must flee to America and live there. Here, Musharraf will live to regret his injustice towards the students of the Red Mosque. Allah willing, Musharraf will suffer great pain, along with all his aides. The Muslims will never forgive Musharraf for the sin he committed."

"Before Al-Zarqawi left for Iraq, he was in our region with us. We had strong relations with him. After America began committing injustice in Iraq, he went over there, and he had an extraordinary role. With regard to Osama and Al-Zawahiri, I never met them, but I have the utmost love and respect for them, because of their enmity towards the Jews and the Christians."

Pakistani Taliban Emir By'atullah Mahsoud: We Will Destroy America and Britain, But Won't Use Nuclear BombsInterviewer: "Did you send your fighters to Afghanistan to participate in battle alongside the Taliban?"By'atullah Mahsoud: "We fought alongside the Taliban, and we will continue to do so full force. The enemies have come from distant places. They have come from many Western countries, for the sake of money, and they kill for the sake of money. We, on the other hand, are Muslims. Our goal is to please our God and to raise the banner of monotheism. Yes, we send and will continue to send young men to the battlefronts in Afghanistan."[...]

Interviewer: "What do you hope to achieve by this coalition? What are your goals? What are your plans for the future?"By'atullah Mahsoud:"The goal of our coalition is to conduct defensive jihad. The Pakistani army is induced by Bush to send its forces here, and it bombs our homes and fights us. Therefore, we established this coalition in order to provide security to Muslim individuals and Muslim society. The Pakistani army employs tactics of deceit. It wages war in South Waziristan, while it maintains a truce in North Waziristan. Then it wages war in North Waziristan, and maintains a truce in Bajaur. Then it wages war in Bajaur, and maintains a truce in Swat. This is a policy of deceit. We established this coalition in order to confront the deceit of the army and its soldiers’ attacks.[...]

Just when you think the puppet from Tehran has said it all, he comes up with something new. Here's the latest: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran said:

"stop supporting the Zionists, as [their] regime reached its final stage." "Accept that the life of Zionists will sooner or later come to an end,"

Well, at least this time he didn't say he was going to blow Israel off the map with nuclear weapons, but it is obvious that Ahmadinejad feels the tide has swung in the Middle East in opinion that the palestinians are going to get what they want. Ahmadinejad makes reference to "regional nations" that will confront Israel - I believe that refers to his own country of Iran, and those of Saudi Arabia and Syria. Make no bones about it - Ahmadinejad actually believes he is correct here - he honestly believes Israel is doomed and soon. This is why it is time to start dismantling Iran's influence and hope in the region - time to take out Hamas and Hezbollah leadership, and time to further segregate the Palestinian Authority from Hamas.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called on the West Wednesday to acknowledge Israel's "imminent collapse."He added, "What we have right now is the last chapter [of Israeli atrocities] which the Palestinians and regional nations will confront and eventually turn in Palestine's favor." Iran does not acknowledge Israel and Ahmadinejad has in the past sparked international outcry by referring to the systematic murder of six million Jews in World War II as a "myth" and calling for Israel to be "wiped off the map." Iran is currently also mediating in the crisis over the Gaza Strip, where Israel has imposed a blockade on border crossings into the coastal territory, barring the entry of supplies into the already impoverished area. Last week, Palestinian militants blew holes in the barrier separating the Gaza Strip from Egypt, prompting hundreds of thousands of Gazans to pour into Egypt in search of supplies. Ahmadinejad also urged the Western powers to help build nuclear power plants in his country saying it will be too late if they do not decide to do so immediately. "If you will not come, this nation will build nuclear plants based on its own resources and when you come some four years later it will reject your request and not then give you any opportunity," he said. "I am addressing leaders of two or three powers; do you remember I sent you message and told you to stop be stubborn? If you think that you can block the movement of Iranian nation, you are wrong," the Iranian president continued.

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Hezbollah's deputy chief announced today that the jihadist terrorist group will definitely look at abducting more Israeli troops in the future.He claims that Hezbollah will do this to ensure the release of Lebanese prisoners from Israel.Kassem, the deputy chief, claims that Israel will eventually give in. Well dufus, don't count on it and at the same time, one has to hope that Israel is taking all precautions necessary. I've said it here more than once, that top Hezbollah officials HAVE to become Israeli targets. The two kidnapped Israeli soldiers STILL being held (if both are even alive) need immediate return and at this point, the only way to get them back is to take out people like Kassem himself. Take him out or kidnap him. The situation that Lebanon is in right now would lend itself to an operation by the Israelis - and if Nasrallah values his own skin, he'd hand over whatever Israel wants before Kasem's body is even cool.

Kassem threatens to kidnap more troopsHizbullah deputy chief Naim Kassem said on Tuesday that his organization would continue to kidnap IDF soldiers in order to bring about the release of Lebanese prisoners held in Israeli jails.Kassem told Hizbullah supporters during a rally in Beirut that Israel would eventually yield to the group's demands to free Lebanese detainees.Meanwhile, Karnit Goldwasser, whose husband, Ehud, was kidnapped by Hizbullah in 2006, said on Tuesday that because of halted talks between the relevant sides, she was unsure whether he would return."The present situation is that the negotiations are completely jammed. After a year and a half were in the exact spot we were in a day after the kidnapping."I go home alone, and don't know what to expect - whether Udi will return alive or not… I will make every effort to get him back," Goldwasser told representatives of Jewish communities in Hong Kong, Singapore and London during a conference organized by the Jewish Agency. The conference was aimed at raising international awareness of kidnapped soldiers.Goldwasser asked Jewish representatives to call on their national leaders to approach the Lebanese government in an effort to get them to apply pressure to Hizbullah chief Hassan Nasrallah to release Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, captured in the same incident.

This is just great (note the sarcasm, please). The misfits of the world, the palestinians, run into some problems of their own doing and now Saudia Arabia and Iran are sticking their dirty noses into the situation to try and "help." Yeah, right. Iran is there to support their muderous arm, Hamas, and Saudi Arabia more than likely wants to see the exoducs and migration of the misfists to stop in Egypt.Now, the real interesting stuff is that it is coming out that Hamas orchestrated this whole exodus into Egypt and literally gave all of the invading masses $300 each to go spend and shut down the merchants inside Egypt. Folks, that money from Hamas came out of the funds donated to the Palis by the world - don't kid yourselves. Bottom line, this is a huge mess. It is looking more and more like Hamas, with the backing of Iran of course and also some support of Saudi Arabia, is making a play to expand that Gaza border into Egypt. They are gonna end up squatting on that newly infiltrated land.Egypt's issue is that Hamas' parent group, the Muslim Brotherhood, is still a force in Egypt and so the Egyptians would face a backlash if they get tough with these misplaced excrements from Gaza.This is going to get muddier before it gets clearer. But bottom line is this, in my view, Egypt will have to make concessions in this mess - they will bend to Tehran and Riyadh and the net result will be Egypt severing several of their agreements with the Israelis. It is, after all, about Israel...bet on it.

Hamas backers Saudi Arabia and Tehran Step into Gaza CrisisOn the sixth day of the Palestinian surge out of Gaza into northern Sinai, Egyptian intelligence is discovering that, far from being chaotic, it was minutely planned by the fundamentalist Hamas group which rules the Gaza Strip.According to DEBKAfile’s military sources, each of the estimated half a million Gazans in flight, one-third of the total population, received a $300 grant, which accounts for the shopping spree they could suddenly afford. Hamas was therefore willing to spend $150 million on a maneuver for seizing control of an enclave in northern Sinai.Egyptian border troops were forced to stand aside by this mass of surging humanity. Dozens were injured by gunmen shooting from inside the mob. Early Monday, Jan. 28, Cairo deployed a border guard brigade in the northern Sinai town of El Arish, to hold the line against the spread of the Palestinian tide into the largest town in the peninsula.It is calculated that if the Palestinians take over El Arish, they will use as a springboard to advance on Egypt proper.Egyptian forces have in the last 24 hours, apprehended 30 Palestinians on their way to the Suez Canal armed with weapons, explosives and devices for monitoring Egyptian and Israeli security communications, and a second group heading for the unfenced 220-km Egyptian-Israeli border.DEBKAfile’s military sources also report that Cairo has, without making a public announcement, clamped an economic blockade on El Arish, closing down shops, hotels, restaurants and gas pumps, to make the town less attractive to the roving Palestinians than their own towns in Gaza.In Riyadh, meanwhile, Saudi foreign minister Saud al-Faisal is holding talks Monday with the Hamas bureau chief Khaled Meshal, summoned from Damascus where the conference of 17 rejectionist Palestinian organizations has just ended. This conversation will prepare the ground for Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s meetings in Cairo Wednesday with a Hamas delegation.Tehran, for its part, sent Iran’s foreign ministry director general Ali Asghar to Cairo Sunday, Jan. 27, to put its oar into the standoff. He was quickly received by Egyptian foreign minister Aboul Gheit. For three decades, Egypt and Iran have not had formal diplomatic relations, but in the last two months, their government ministers have met frequently and, last week, Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad phoned Mubarak to discuss how Tehran could cooperate in solving the Gaza border issue.Asghar brought to Cairo, according to our sources, an offer to airlift tons of foodstuffs and medicines to El Arish airport for Egyptian authorities to distribute to the Palestinians. This step would bring Iranian airplanes into the Egyptian-Israeli border region for the first time. Iran would thereby claim a stake in the lives of the Palestinians living around Israel’s borders for the entire Arab world to see.

Yes !!!! Jackpot!! The Pakistani military launched a missile attack on a Taliban hideout in NW Pakistan killing 12 Taliban. Now that is what I call good news.Meanwhile, Pakistanis in the NW areas continued to protest the governments barrage on the Taliban - of course what the government is doing is an "attrocity" while the assassination of Bhutto was what? A mercy killing?Hopefully, more missiles are locked and loaded.

MIRAN SHAH, Pakistan (AP) - A missile destroyed a suspected militant hideout in northwestern Pakistan on Tuesday, killing 12 people inside, officials said, as hundreds of students protested Pakistan's support for the U.S.-led war on terror.In clashes elsewhere in the volatile region, militants killed a government soldier and injured four more.The air attack occurred after midnight in Khushali Torikhel, a village in North Waziristan, a tribal region bordering Afghanistan, intelligence and government officials in the region said. The two officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to media

More than 500 people, including many high school and college students, rallied in Miran Shah, the main town in North Waziristan, to demand an end to Pakistan's military cooperation with the United States.Protest leaders called on the government to end the fighting in the tribal regions, as demonstrators chanted "Death to America.""The Pakistan army is committing atrocities," said Najib Ullah, a student protester. "They must stopThe intelligence official described the victims as "local Taliban."

Hahaha! You know, the whole irony of this Egyptian/Gaza border fiasco is this. Weeks ago, Egypt's President Mubarak felt sorry for the poor palestinians sitting in the border camps when they wouldn't cross back into Gaza using the Israeli-monitored crossing. Mubarak risked a deterioration of relations with Israel by letting those palestinians back into Gaza with their bags of money through the other border crossing. Mubarak called it a humanitarian act. And now, Mubarak is repayed with Hamas blowing up his border wall, by tens of thousands of palestinians flowing into his country to raise havoc, and now, more than a 3000 palestinians had to be arrested as they stayed in Egypt and tried to reach the city of Cairo.Oh...and a number of the palestinians arrested had weapons and explosives.You get it now, Mubarak? You understand now why the Israelis will have nothing to do with this congregation of misfits? Good luck on trying to get rid of them Mubarak - it's like a virus that's entered an unprotected body. Like I say, good luck.

Cairo, 28 Jan. (AKI) - Egyptian Police have arrested three thousand Palestinians attempting to reach Cairo, following the breaking of the border wall separating the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip with Egypt.Following six days of Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip, which prevented Gazans from obtaining food, fuel, medical and other supplies, on 23 January militants exploded holes in the border wall.Egyptian government newspaper al-Ahram reported that some of the arrested Palestinians were in possession of firearms and explosives.To prevent Palestinians without travel documents and visas from entering and settling in Egypt, the government has issued notices to hotels in the Sinai peninsula informing them not to host Gazans that had entered illegally into Egypt

Egyptian police initially took no action to stop the massive influx of Gazans into the Egyptian town of Rafah to buy basic items, although on Sunday, specially deployed Egyptian police officers forced shopkeepers in the city of el-Arish to close their shops to prevent Palestinians from Gaza shopping in the city, reported the Israeli daily Haaretz.

Monday, January 28, 2008

This is a story from a couple of months ago but I hadn't seen how it ended up and it's great! The Florida university officials, who insisted on apologies for the advertising done by student groups for an anti-Islam documentary, were spanked BIG TIME by the group, The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE). Here's my favorite part of their spanking the University:

Let us be clear that while the content in question, a message about radical Islam, might offend members of the campus community, it is unquestionably protected expression under the First Amendment. The principle of freedom of speech does not exist to protect only non-controversial speech;

The Strange Case of ‘Obsession’ at the University of FloridaLuke Sheahan

There was outrage among some members of the student body and the university administrators intervened. In an e-mail to all university students, Vice President for Student Affairs Patricia Telles-Irvin tagged the advertisement for the documentary as part of a rash of “offensive behavior and actions taken against others, which has created greater divisiveness and misunderstandings among the various ethnic groups residing in our communities.” She said that the phrase “Radical Islam Wants You Dead” promoted a “negative stereotype” that “offended many Muslim students.”

Telles-Irvin also repeated a tired but common administrative talking point about the importance of “balancing freedom of speech with responsibility” (read: it’s irresponsible to say something that someone else might find offensive):

We cannot speak of rights without also addressing the responsibility associated with our actions or statements, including understanding the potential consequences. One of our roles as a learning institution is to teach our students to express themselves freely, and also in a fair and conscientious manner.The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) wrote a brief letter to Telles-Irvin. FIRE quoted a pointed e-mail from Law School Republican adviser and Law Professor Steven J. Willis to Telles-Irvin sent shortly after Telles-Irvin’s e-mail to the student body.

Your arguments about “diversity” and “responsibility” and “divisiveness” are irrelevant to that fundamental issue: the actions are protected speech and you have no right – in your “Official” capacity – to censure them, either before or after the fact. Indeed, you have the obligation not to do so. You are the one behaving inappropriately and you are the one who should apologize.

FIRE summed up the case against Telles-Irvin thusly:

Let us be clear that while the content in question, a message about radical Islam, might offend members of the campus community, it is unquestionably protected expression under the First Amendment. The principle of freedom of speech does not exist to protect only non-controversial speech; indeed, it exists precisely to protect speech that some members of a community may find controversial or “offensive.” The Supreme Court stated in Texas v. Johnson, 491 U.S. 397, 414 (1989) that “[i]f there is a bedrock principle underlying the First Amendment, it is that the government may not prohibit the expression of an idea simply because society finds the idea itself offensive or disagreeable.” Similarly, the Court wrote in Papish v. Board of Curators of the University of Missouri, 410 U.S. 667, 670 (1973) that “the mere dissemination of ideas—no matter how offensive to good taste—on a state university campus may not be shut off in the name alone of ‘conventions of decency.’”

Telles-Irvin responded that the University of Florida “embraces both the requirements and the values of the First Amendment even in circumstances where doing so is difficult.” And the documentary showing went forth as planned.

Here we go. This was bound to start happening and when you read the headline, you're going to get the wrong idea, that Canada is wimping out. That is not the case here. Prime Minister Stephen Harper is just flat out fed up with the OTHER wimps in NATO that have not come through on their promises for troops in Afghanistan and the same NATO allies that haven't even acknowledged the constant calls from NATO military officials that more troops are needed from everyone.Now, I'm not toally sympathetic to the Canadians here as the United States just sent over 3,500 troops from Iraq over to Afghanistan - that's 1000 more troops than the TOTAL Canadian troops in Afghanistan.But Harper's point is well taken and I hope it shakes up some people. Countries like the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany and Australia have to get off their asses and support the Afghanistan War against the Taliban. If Canada pulls out, it will signal the end is near for the Taliban and we will see offensives by them like you have never seen before.

Canada threatens to pull soldiers from AfghanistanOTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada will pull its 2,500 troops out of Afghanistan early next year unless NATO sends in significant reinforcements, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said on Monday, signaling Ottawa has lost patience with what it sees as foot-dragging by allies.The minority Conservative government wants the soldiers to stay beyond their current withdrawal date of February 2009 but in another potential threat to the mission, the main opposition Liberal Party expressed doubts about the idea of an extension.Harper, who is exasperated at the refusal of many other NATO nations to commit more troops to Afghanistan, said the Alliance's failure to provide enough forces meant the whole future of the organization was under serious threat.So far, 78 Canadian soldiers and a diplomat have died since Ottawa deployed troops to Afghanistan in 2002.Harper said he accepted the recommendations of an independent panel which last week urged Canada to end its mission in the southern city of Kandahar unless NATO provided an extra 1,000 troops and Ottawa obtained helicopters and aerial reconnaissance vehicles."For this mission to go forward and achieve its objectives and be successful, we do have the need for a substantial increase in combat troops and particular needs in terms of military equipment," Harper told a news conference."Both of those recommendations will have to be fulfilled or Canada will not proceed with the mission in Afghanistan. We believe these are essential to our success."Harper, saying he was "always optimistic on these things", said he would raise Canada's demand for more troops before NATO leaders hold a summit in Bucharest in early April."NATO's reputation is on the line here ... all the increasing evidence suggests that NATO's efforts in Afghanistan as a whole are not adequate, but particularly in Kandahar province," he said."Canada has done what it said it would do and more. We now say we need help. I think if NATO can't come through with that help, then I think -- frankly -- NATO's own reputation and future will be in grave jeopardy."

Influential members of Mookie Sadr's militia apparently want to meet their package of virgins and are asking the leader to break off the cease-fire in Iraq.It's almost hard to believe it's been this long but Sadr signed off on the cease fire order way back in August and it is set to expire in a month. At this stage of the game, it's my feelings that these gangs of clowns have never been out of U.S. sight and if, IF they decide to start it up again, the first day would be a blood bath.I lot has changed since August and while back then, Sadr's militia had some support from the community to keep their mouths shut, that is not the case now - Iraqis have been open about turning in the scourge in their neighborhoods. I think Sadr's militia would find they were an open book to U.S. and IA forces.Besides, Sadr is probably smart enough to know that if he calls off the cease fire this time, he's a dead man. The U.S. will finally put this guy on their hit list and unless he flees back to Iran, he'd be wormfood by the end of the first week.

BAGHDAD (AP) - Influential members of Muqtada al-Sadr's movement have urged the anti- U.S. Shiite cleric not to extend a cease-fire when it expires next month, officials said Monday, a move that could jeopardize recent security gains.The Iraqi Red Crescent Organization, meanwhile, gave a higher death toll than Iraqi officials from last week's devastating house explosion in the northern city of Mosul.The relief organization said more than 60 people were killed and 280 wounded based on estimates from relatives who buried victims without officially registering them. Iraqi officials in Mosul maintain that nearly 40 were killed and more than 200 wounded.Al-Sadr's August order for his feared Mahdi Army militia to freeze activities for six months was seen by U.S. commanders as a major factor in a nationwide reduction of violence.But U.S. and Iraqi forces insisted they would continue to hunt down so-called rogue fighters who ignored the order. That has led to persistent friction inside the organization.The maverick cleric has threatened not to renew the cease-fire unless the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki purges "criminal gangs" operating within security forces he claims are targeting his followers.That was a reference to rival Shiite militiamen from the Badr Brigade who have infiltrated security forces participating in the ongoing crackdown against breakaway militia cells the U.S. has said were linked to Iran.The political commission of al-Sadr's movement and some lawmakers and senior officials said they were urging him to follow through with his threat, pointing to recent raids against the movement in the southern Shiite cities of Diwaniyah, Basra and Karbala.

Talk about Larry, Curly and Moe. Now Hamas is working side by side with Egypt to string barbed wire back up where three days ago they were tearing it down with bombs and bulldozers. It appears that Egypt's had enough of it and Hamas is trying to get some leverage out of the whole situation but at least in some of the checkpoint areas, Gazans are being turned back. I have said many time here at Holger Awakens, that there is a reason why the Palestinian cause for a separate state has always been so admanantly supported by Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon and that is because none of those countries EVER want to see these slugs in THEIR countries. The palis are misfits, a blight. Everything they touch, sours and rots. So it is Egypt's turn to have to meet with the slime and work fast to get em put back into their box. Good luck, Egypt. You should have mowed em down on Day One.

RAFAH, Egypt (AP) - Egyptian security forces and Hamas militants strung barbed wire across one of the openings in the Egypt-Gaza border Monday—a sign that a days-long breaching of the frontier may be nearing an end.Three trucks of Egyptian security forces pulled up to the "Brazil" gate and strung wire across the entry point into Egypt. They were aided by half a dozen bearded and uniformed militants of Hamas, the group that controls the Gaza Strip.At the main Salah Eddin gate, meanwhile, Palestinian and Egyptian security forces manned the crossing points, stopping civilian cars and letting trucks through, while pedestrians scoured the nearly empty stores for food and consumer products to take back to the Gaza Strip with them in fear of an imminent border reclosing."I said no Gazan cars with civilian plates can go through, only cars with truck plates are allowed. Do not argue with me. The orders have changed from above," one security guard told a man trying to ferry his Egyptian mother back across the border.Six days after Hamas blew holes in the border wall with Egypt to end a two year blockade and sent hundreds of thousands of Palestinians across the border in a shopping frenzy, authorities in the region are still struggling to come up with a new system to administer the border.Egypt wants to restore shared control of the border among the Palestinian Authority, Israel, and European Union monitors, while Hamas rejects the old system and is pushing for a new one—presumably with more control in the hands of the militant group.

"Since I opened this shop more than 20 years ago, I haven't seen such a chaotic situation, if this keeps up, the Egyptians in Rafah will be starving to death," said Mohammed Barahmah, 60, who owns one of the biggest grocery shops in downtown Rafah. "This is terrible, (Egyptian) Rafah will turn into Gaza, there will be nothing to buy and if there was it would be ten times the price."

Sunday, January 27, 2008

This really has been an amazing story from day one when the Sunni tribes in Anbar province decided they had put up with al Qaeda in Iraq long enough and banded together to fight al Qaeda. We have been watching all along as Anbar has gone from the most violent province in Iraq to one of the most quiet and calm and now, over half of all the Awakening forces have signed up to become regulars in the Iraqi Army!U.S. officials have helped process the screenings and all is moving forward for them to begin their training. I would have to say that based on their successes in Anbar, these new recruits will more than likely speed past others from the eastern and southern part of Iraq in skill level and dedication - after all, they've already been in many battles.

9,000 'Awakening' members ready for Iraq military training: USBAGHDAD (AFP) — Some 9,000 members of anti-Qaeda "Awakening" fronts in Iraq have been screened and lined up for training as regular police or soldiers, the US military said on Sunday.The number represents more than half the 16,000 or so Awakening members, many of whom are former Sunni Arab insurgents.They have applied to join the regular Iraqi security forces after having been recruited by the US military to fight Al-Qaeda in their own backyard.Military spokesman Rear Admiral Gregory Smith told a news conference in Baghdad that the rest were still waiting to undergo screening and for openings in police colleges and military academies."Around 9,000 members of the Awakening have been entered into a process in which they are in a queue to begin their training programmes," Smith said.In western Anbar province, where tribal leaders in September 2006 launched the first Awakening group, effectively putting Al-Qaeda to flight, another "10,000 to 20,000 ... have already gone through a training programme and are serving as police officers or members of the army."US troops have for the past year been working closely with former insurgents they call CLCs or Concerned Local Citizens, who are paid 300 dollars a month to patrol neighbourhoods and man checkpoints.Their numbers have swelled to some 80,000 members of a total of 130 CLC groups countrywide, according to latest figures from the US military

Oh boy! The Iranians are now claiming that they have turned out more than 300 tons of gas suitable for uranium enrichment! That gas, when enriched leads to the necessary element in nuclear energy production but...if that gas is enriched even further, then they have the product necessary for nuclear WEAPONS.So, with all of that being said and announced, what is the world's new tough line agains the Iranians?

The Security Council is considering a new draft resolution that calls for additional sanctions against Iran, including bans on travel.

Wow! The mighty United Nations Security Council is going to ban some world wide travel for some diplomats if the Iranians don't stop this nuclear aggression. The horror! I'm sure we will see the Iranians destroy their entire nuclear facility by Monday so they can ensure that the ambassador to Lumxembourg can return by mid-week.As I have said time and time again, when it's too late folks, it's too late.

An Iranian official said that the Islamic republic has increased its production to more than 300 tons of a gas used for uranium enrichment, a semi-official news agency reported.The announcement comes as the UN Security Council is deciding whether to impose new economic sanctions against Iran for refusing to roll back its nuclear activities."The Isfahan uranium conversion facility is active, and it has produced more than 300 tons of UF6," otherwise known as uranium hexaflouride gas, the Fars news agency quoted Javad Vaidi, deputy of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, as saying in meeting to members of the Revolutionary Guards.The Fars news agency is considered close to the elite branch of Iran's military.The central Iranian cities of Isfahan and Natanz house the heart of the Iran's nuclear programme.In Isfahan, a conversion facility reprocesses raw uranium, known as yellowcake, into uranium hexaflouride gas. The gas is then taken to Natanz and fed into the centrifuges for enrichment.Centrifuges spin uranium gas into enriched material, which at low levels is used to produce nuclear fuel to generate electricity. But further enrichment makes it suitable for use in building nuclear weapons.A report by UN nuclear watchdog in November confirmed that Iran had stockpiled nearly 270 metric tons of the precursor gas used in enrichment.The UN Security Council has been trying to pressure Iran to freeze uranium enrichment. But Iran has repeatedly refused, and officials from the International Atomic Energy Agency have privately said Tehran is expanding the programme.The Security Council is considering a new draft resolution that calls for additional sanctions against Iran, including bans on travel. Two sets of sanctions have already been imposed on Iran for refusing to halt enrichment.

In just the past week in the War in Iraq, al Qaeda in Iraq has used two fifteen year old children in suicide bombing missions.

One of the sheiks from Anbar province and the Awakening Councils out there has offered up that al Qaeda's only tactic left to them now is suicide bombings and that the majority of those suicide bombers are foreigners. So in essence, you have the Iraqi people being targeted with bombs from foreigners and children - oh yeah, mighty al Qaeda, right?

BAGHDAD - Al-Qaeda is using children as suicide bombers in Iraq, with at least two attacks in the past week committed by 15-year-olds, a US military commander claimed on Sunday.“We are not sure whether one of these children even knew he was being used to deliver a bomb,” Rear Admiral Gregory Smith told a news conference in Baghdad.One attack was carried out at a funeral ceremony near Tikrit, executed dictator Saddam Hussein’s home town 180 kilometres north of Baghdad and the other was at a school in the northern city of Mosul, Smith said.He gave no details of the two bombings. Iraqi police said 17 people died in a January 21 suicide blast at the funeral ceremony near Tikrit for relatives of an Iraqi police colonel.“Al-Qaeda in Iraq is trying to brainwash children with hate and death... they seek to create a culture of violence, hate and despair,” said Smith.“(They) are sending 15-year-old boys on suicide missions to spread death and helplessness.”Smith quoted Sheikh Ahmed Abu Reesha, leader of the ‘Anbar Awakening’ that has ended much of Al-Qaeda’s hold over western Iraq, as saying that the jihadists were using suicide bombers as a last resort.“When we attack Al-Qaeda they flee, hide and come back with new tactics. The only tactic that is left for them now is to commit suicide,” he quoted the sheikh as saying.Ninety percent of “suicide murders inflicted on Iraqi people are committed by foreign fighters brought in by Al-Qaeda in Iraq to spread destruction,” Smith said.

Saturday, January 26, 2008

All these years Moammer Gadhadfi has maintained a pretty low profile (having your home bombed by U.S. planes and losing half your family will tend to reinforce changed behavior) but now it is revealed that Gadhafi's oldest son is operating in Iraq and in fact, was part of the al Qaeda group that set off the large explosion last week in northern Iraq.This makes sense in that just recently it was revealed just how many jihadists have joined the fray in Iraq from nothern Africa nations - with Libya listed as well as Morocco and Sudan.

The claim is that Ghadafi's son is part of a "regiment" called the Seifadden Regiment that crossed into Iraq through Syria and that this regiment is aligned with al Qaeda in Iraq. Well, hopefully, we can all enjoy watching Moammer Gadhafi bury his son soon.

Gadhafi's Son Said Tied to Iraq AttackBAGHDAD (AP) — A son of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi is behind a group of foreign and Iraqi fighters responsible for this week's devastating explosion in northern Iraq, a security chief for Sunni tribesmen who rose up against al-Qaida said Saturday.At least 38 people were killed and 225 wounded last Wednesday when a huge blast destroyed about 50 buildings in a Mosul slum. The next day, a suicide bomber killed the provincial police chief and two other officers as they surveyed the blast site.Col. Jubair Rashid Naief, who also is a police official in Anbar province, said those attacks were carried out by the Seifaddin Regiment, made up of about 150 foreign and Iraqi fighters who slipped into the country several months ago from Syria.Naief said the regiment, which is working with al-Qaida in Iraq, was supported by Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, 36, the eldest son of the Libyan leader."I am sure of what I am talking about, and it is documented," Naief said, adding that he was "100 percent sure" of the younger Gadhafi's role with the terror group.Naief told The Associated Press his information about the Seifaddin Regiment and the younger Gadhafi's purported role came from "reliable sources" maintained by his Anbar Awakening Council within the ranks of al-Qaida in Mosul and elsewehere.

"They crossed the Syrian border nearest to Mosul within the last two to three months," Naief said of the Seiffadin Regiment. "Since then, they have taken up positions in the city and begun blowing up cars and launching other terror operations."

U.S. forces in Afghanistan announced that much sought after Taliban leader, Darim Sedgai, was killed in Pakistan by "unknown gunmen."First off, this is good news in that Sedgai is the third leader of Siraj Haqqani's forces to bite the bullet in a matter of months. Haqqani is one of the top Taliban leaders whose forces float between Pakistan and Afghanistan.Secondly here...this mention of "unknown gunmen" is odd. Let's face it, there isn't a whole lot of guys running around Pakistan offing Taliban leaders and thinking they can stay alive doing that, so if I had to take a guess here...I would say that the successful "unknown gunmen" here were either U.S. special forces inside of Pakistan or some sort of clandestine Pakistani force that doesn't want to get credited for it.But the important thing is this chump is hamburger for the maggots and the Taliban is looking for another leader to fill the void.

KABUL (AFP) - The US military in Afghanistan said that a Taliban-linked militant leader wanted by Washington had been killed in neighbouring Pakistan.

Darim Sedgai was ambushed by unknown gunmen on January 16 and died of his wounds, the military said in a statement.The military described him as a "powerful commander" linked to a top Taliban leader, Siraj Haqqani, but did not provide any further details of the incident.The US military here reportedly announced a 50,000-dollar bounty for Sedgai in October last year, saying he was wanted for his ties to Taliban and Al-Qaeda militant groups.Sedgai was the third rebel commander in Haqqani's network to die in recent months, the statement said.Haqqani, the son of famous anti-Russian commander Jalaluddin Haqqani, joined the Taliban during their advance towards Kabul in 1996 and is their top commander in eastern Afghanistan. He has a 200,000 dollar bounty on his head.An alliance of Afghan opposition groups and US-led forces overthrew the 1996-2001 Taliban regime when it did not surrender Al-Qaeda leaders after the 9/11 attacks on the United States.

Crap. What an American woman is doing in volatile Afghanistan is beyond me and at the same time, her driver was taken hostage as well - usually when they say "her driver" , they mean a local Afghan. They were stopped and then taken by gunmen outside of Kandahar. You'll see in the story many references to the fact that the American woman was wearing a burqa - big deal. It's like the AP is suggesting that if she wasn't, she REALLY would deserve to be kidnapped. The AP still thinks it's a religion, apparently.So, I guess the hostage stakes game starts now - I think the Taliban (who either took her or will end up with her) will find out that the U.S. doesn't deal like the Italians and they will also find out that unlike the South Koreans who muddled over things for weeks, the Americans will be very swift in response - that response being special ops forces intent on rescue and retribution. If fact, they are more than likely on the trail as I type here.

American woman kidnapped in AfghanistanKANDAHAR, Afghanistan - Gunmen kidnapped a burqa-clad American aid worker and her driver while they were traveling through southern Afghanistan early Saturday, a provincial governor said. The two were stopped by gunmen outside the southern Afghan city of Kandahar, said Gov. Asadullah Khalid. He blamed the kidnapping on the "enemy of Islam and the enemy of Afghanistan." Khalid said the 49-year-old American had been wearing a burqa when she was taken. She worked for the aid agency Asian Rural Life Development Foundation, he said.

The U.S. Embassy said it had no immediate information. Khalid said the gunmen had not contacted the government or the aid organization. He said police and intelligence officials were trying to track her down. The group runs food-for-work, irrigation rehabilitation, health care and restoration projects around Kandahar, according to its Web site.

Several Westerners -- including two German construction workers and two Italian journalists _ have been kidnapped in Afghanistan in the last year, but this was the first kidnapping of an American in recent memory

Friday, January 25, 2008

Afghan police found a huge cache of weapons and munitions in a Taliban leader's home in western Afghanistan and lo and behold, in there they found 130 land mines that were Iranian made - with 40 of them a very sophisticated remote-controlled version.Iran, once again. Here's what we know about Iran's contribution to this planet:

1. Iran is sponsoring terrorist killing of Israelis by Hamas2. Iran is sponsoring terrorist killing of Israelis by Hezbollah3. Iran is sponsoring terrorist killing of Lebanese by Syria4. Iran is building nuclear weapons5. Iran has vowed to wipe Israel off the map6. Iran has abducted British servicemen and women from international waters7. Iran is supplying training, arms and IED's to kill Americans in the Iraq War8. Iran is supplying arms, munitions and now land mines to kill Afghans and NATO forces in Afghanistan

So tell me, why has the world not come together and wiped Iran off the map? Why is this country of Satan still standing? What possible reason is there for the continuation for the Islamic Republic of Iran?Bomb it. Bomb it now.

Afghanistan: Official Says Iranian Mines Found In Taliban Commander's House

An provincial police chief says authorities have discovered a weapons cache in western Afghanistan containing 130 land mines of different types that appear to have been imported from Iran.The cache, discovered in Farah Province near the Iranian border, includes about 40 sophisticated remote-controlled mines.Farah's provincial police chief, General Khailbaz Sherzai, told RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan today that the cache was found in the house of a Taliban commander named Mullah Abdul Ghani."We discovered a cache containing a large collection of land mines -- antipersonnel and antitank mines -- in the Anardara district of Farah Province," Sherzai said. "They were recently brought from Iran and the man who was responsible for that has escaped. We completely destroyed the cache and the room it was contained in."It is the latest in a series of weapons caches found in Afghanistan that the U.S. military, NATO, or the Afghan government has said were either made in Iran or transported through Iran and into the hands of Taliban militants.Tehran has consistently denied sending weapons to the Taliban. Afghan President Hamid Karzai has said Afghan officials have no evidence linking the Iranian government to weapons shipped to the Taliban.

The Pakistani military brought out the big guns in a battle in the Darra Adam Khel area of Pakistan and put some serious hurt on the Taliban in the process - to the tune of 34 Taliban that the World doesn't have to stomach ever again. The reports claim that two Pakistani troops were killed in the action.Now, of course, the Taliban are disputing the numbers, but if you believe the Taliban, Mullah Omar is sitting at a craps table in Vegas and they aren't actually living in mud huts and caves now. The Pakistani army has moved in a lot of artillery and is pounding the mountainsides hitting numerous Taliban targets. I have to give Musharraf credit for the risk taken in moving in the big guns - he needed lots of troops to pull this off and he has committed that.Hopefully, the Taliban losses will get into three figures by the end of the weekend.

Thirty-four Taliban and two Pakistani soldiers have been killed after the Pakistani military cordoned the Darra Adam Khel region and launched an assault to retake the trucks and clear the area of Taliban forces. "Heavy shelling has been taking place with artillery and gunship helicopters while militants claim to have taken control of Zarghoonkhel checkpost,' Geo TV reported.The security situation in Orakzai has slowly deteriorated as the Taliban took effective control of the tribal agency over the past two years. The Pakistani military denied rumors it would launch military operations to clear the Taliban from the area. The city of Darra Adam Khel is a notorious weapons bazaar where the Taliban and criminal elements obtain hand-crafted firearms.The Pakistani military launched the assault after two peace jirgas, or councils, were formed in an attempt to get the Taliban to surrender the trucks and supplies. The soldiers were released.

The Pakistani military claimed 40 Taliban fighters and eight soldiers were killed during the operation, and another 40 Taliban were captured. Maulvi Omar, the spokesman for Baitullah Mehsud, the commander of the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan, disputed the claim. Omar said 25 Pakistani soldiers and seven Taliban fighters were killed in the battles."It seems that armed forces are conquering India," Omar said, mocking the Pakistani military's account of the fighting in South Waziristan. "But [Taliban] loyal to Baitullah Mehsud are bravely resisting the military across South Waziristan Agency."

Hamas, fresh off a coup-like success of its penetrating the border with Egypt in the Sinai, has now made an announcement of a huge march of Palestinians on the Erez crossing into Israel. This story is very brief from DEBKAand I'm excerpting it right here because it is very important to see these words:

Hamas threatens mass march to smash through Israel’s Erez crossing for “return to Ashkelon”Hamas PM Ismail Haniya’s adviser Ahdmad Yousef announced Thursday, Jan. 24, that the terrorist organization’s next step after overrunning Egyptian northern Sinai was a march by half a million Palestinians from Gaza through the blocked Erez crossing to Israel to “recover their towns,” like Ashkelon.

In case you didn't know...Ashkelon is in the south district of Israel. In my view, what Yousef has done here, disguised as some sort of civilian march, is a declaration of war on Israel. This amounts to Hamas officially announcing an attack on an Israel city of over 100,000 people and it needs to be dealt with immediately by Israel. If I had the reins in Israel, I would make a statement at the U.N. that this is a declaration of war on my country and that in order to protect my citizens of Ashkelon and other cities, I have no choice but to destroy Hamas. Then I'd take out Ismail Haniya by the end of the weekend and Hamas' reclusive leader in Syria and then begin a thinning of all senior Hamas leadership while putting every tank I can afford on the Erez crossing.

Hamas' plan here is to thrust 500,000 civilians through the Erez crossing, betting that Israeli troops will not fire on so-called "civilians" - if I'm Israel, I have no choice.

This is very significant. No, not the fact that there will be a military offensive in Mosul, Iraq but that the Iraqi Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki, made the announcement. Although I could never be accused of being anything close to a mil-type blogger, I do follow the Iraq War fairly closely and this is the first time I have seen the Iraqi government make this time of announcement ahead of U.S. commanders. And it is a tremendously good signal.Mosul has been deemed by U.S. command as the single most dangerous city in Iraq right now and this is how al-Maliki described the new offensive:

"Today, the troops have moved to Mosul ... and the fight there will be decisive,"

Now, as with most politicians, there were very few tactical details about the offensive but that should come out today from U.S. military sources. I've never been a big fan of these pre-announcements about offensive and giving al Qaeda two weeks notice to get ready or to retreat out into the hinterlands, but it is refreshing to see the Iraq government show such determination.

BAGHDAD (AP) -- Iraq's prime minister announced Friday that the government was launching a major offensive against al-Qaida in the northern city of Mosul after two days of deadly bombings that killed nearly 40 people.He promised the fight "will be decisive."The announcement by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki came after warnings by the U.S. military that Mosul was the last major city where al-Qaida maintains a strong presence after largely being driven from Baghdad and other major population centers.Al-Maliki said the government was sending troops to Mosul and an operations room had been established to fight the insurgents."Today, the troops have moved to Mosul ... and the fight there will be decisive," al-Maliki said during an address in the Shiite holy city of Karbala.He did not say how many troops were being sent or provide more details in his wide-ranging speech, an apparent attempt to show his beleaguered administration was assuming control of the situation in Mosul with the U.S. military in the background.Residents reported no immediate sign of stepped up security in the area and it was unclear when the offensive would begin.The recent violence in Mosul, 225 miles northwest of Baghdad, began Wednesday when an abandoned apartment building believed to be used as a bomb-making factory exploded after the Iraqi army arrived to investigate tips about a weapons cache.At least 34 people were killed and 224 wounded when the blast tore through surrounding houses in the Zanjili neighborhood, a poverty-ridden district on the west bank of the Tigris River.Residents reportedly back al-Qaida as a firewall against Kurdish influence in the city and the ineffective provincial government.

Thursday, January 24, 2008

This is major and I mean major! Just weeks after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, Pakistani police today discovered and diffused a roadside bomb along the convoy route of opposition political leader Nawaz Sharif. Get this - the bomb was found just minutes before Sharif's vehicle was due to pass by it.Now, I was one of those who called Bhutto crazy for standing up in her car, and for literally even making the appearance that she did the day of her murder and now, you have Sharif visiting Peshawar???? I mean, talk about walking into the lion's den!This also shows that no one is safe from the al Qaeda/Taliban coalition - you may remember that Sharif has had some suspicious links to bin Laden from years ago. Apparently, al Qaeda doesn't much care about the past and favors done - this current operation is all about creating chaos and making vulnerable the nuclear weapons along with interfering with elections.Look at it this way, in America, once the two political parties have chosen their nominees for the Presidential election in November, can you imagine the chaos of both the Republican and Democrat candidates were taken out and the sitting President was also targeted??? That is what is going on in Pakistan - they have taken out Bhutto, they missed Sharif by 10 minutes and Musharraf has dodged over half a dozen assassination attempts.If Sharif makes it to see March, I'll be surprised.

PESHAWAR, Pakistan(AFP) - Pakistani police defused a roadside timebomb just minutes beforeopposition leader Nawaz Sharif was due to pass the spot in the northwestern cityof Peshawar on Thursday, officials said.

Former prime minister Sharifwas travelling in a convoy to address a lawyers' convention and a politicalrally in the troubled city near the Afghan border ahead of elections on February18.The discovery comes exactly four weeks after fellow opposition leaderBenazir Bhutto was assassinated in a gun and suicide attack at an electionmeeting in the northern city of Rawalpindi."We recovered a 400 gram (0.8pounds) bomb fitted with a timer beneath a main bridge near the high court onthe route that Sharif was to take. We have defused it," bomb disposal squadofficial Hukam Khan told AFP.Ijaz Khan, a senior police officer, said thebomb was found wrapped in a plastic shopping bag."It was planted on theroad that Nawaz Sharif was to pass. When policemen were searching the area theyfound it and immediately called in bomb disposal staff who defused it," Khansaid.A spokesman for Sharif said their convoy had been halted about akilometre (half a mile) before it reached the area."We are sittingin the car. Police have stopped our convoy. They have said there is a report ofsome explosives in the area where we were supposed to go," the spokesman toldAFP by telephone.

Yes !!!! The U.S. Military has killed 20 al Qaeda in Iraq jihadists in the past two days in central and northern Iraq during a series of raids. In one raid, al Qaeda decided to take up positions and fight. Big mistake. Ten of the 20 dead al Qaeda met their virgin taxi at that one battle - that occurred in Diyala province.Five more al Qaeda were killed near Samarra as well.Diyala province has become probably the most violent province in Iraq and it's good to see the U.S. forces back in there conducting raids, although the risk is high. One thing I've noticed in Diyala, is that usually kills like this are being reported as "U.S. forces" without mention of the Iraqi Army - that usually points to how dangerous the area is with Iraqi Army forces not playing a key role in the real intensive situations. This isn't a knock on the IA troops, but just a fact that some of these areas require the best of the best at this point.Wonderful news for sure here.

U.S. military says kills 20 in al Qaeda Iraq raidsBAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. soldiers backed by attack aircraft killed 20 suspected al Qaeda fighters in raids against the Sunni Islamist group in northern and central Iraq over the past two days, the U.S. military said on Wednesday.In the biggest operation on Wednesday, U.S. ground troops seeking an al Qaeda network leader near the Diyala provincial capital Baquba, 65 km (40 miles) north of Baghdad, encountered a number of militants who took up "fighting positions"."Responding in self-defense, the ground force called supporting aircraft to engage the hostile force, killing 10 terrorists," the military said in a statement.Another three were killed by soldiers in a nearby building. Weapons caches including machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades, roadside bombs, artillery and mortar rounds and other ammunition were also found nearby, the military said.Those raids took place near where U.S. soldiers had killed two suspected militants on Tuesday.Diyala has replaced western Anbar as one of the main al Qaeda troublespots for U.S. and Iraqi forces after the group was driven out of Anbar and the Baghdad area during security crackdowns last year.U.S. and Iraqi forces have launched a series of offensives against al Qaeda in Iraq's northern provinces, including Diyala.U.S. soldiers in the Hamrin mountains near Samarra, 100 km (60 miles) north of Baghdad, killed another five suspected al Qaeda fighters on Tuesday, the military said.

Scared of a little bit of change, huh mullahs? Things too shaky to chance a loss of power, huh Ahmadinejad? Iran has disqualified over 2,000 reformers from running in elections - those reformers are the ones adamant about increased democratic changes.This is bound to increase the tensions among the populace of Iran - the economy of Iran continues to spiral downward and in this move, the Guardian Council has actually disqualified nearly all of the candidates from two reformist parties.There is an outside chance of appeal by the disqualified candidates but don't hold your breath for their reinstatement.

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) -- More than 2,000 reformers seeking democratic changes within Iran's hard-line ruling establishment have been disqualified from running in the upcoming parliamentary elections, a top interior ministry official said Wednesday.The disqualification of reformist candidates removes challenges to hard-liners - including those allied with embattled President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad - vying for the parliament seats in the crucial March 14 election.Parliamentary elections are seen as a key test of Ahmadinejad's hold on power and a harbinger for the 2009 presidential elections. The hard-line president has come under increasing criticism - from both allies and opponents - about his failure to fix Iran's economic problems, which have most recently led to heating gas shortages.Out of an initial 7,200 prospective candidates registered, some 5,000 remain in the running, said Ali Reza Afshar, a top Interior Ministry official in charge of elections.Afshar didn't rule out reversing some disqualified candidates, and he said that those disqualified have the right to appeal. The hard-line constitutional watchdog, the Guardian Council, will announce a final list of approved candidates on March 5.Council's chief Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, a key Ahmadinejad ally, said last month that any candidate determined by the Council to be disloyal to the principles of Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution would be barred from running.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

“The Danish caricaturist creature which draws caricatures of our master Prophet Mohammed has reportedly lost its life by burning as a result of the outbreak of a fire in his home. The Danes wish nobody hears this news. Everyone should send this mail to everyone they know and let us announce this news as widely as possible…”

First off, this story comes from a blogger from I believe, Turkey. And it appears he is taking it more seriously than I certainly am but I do agree with him in that it shows the extremism inherent in the world of islam. How DARE a person draw a cartoon, write a book, speak in public about the pediophile prophet, mohammed! :spit:

This is once again proof that the muslims of this world do two things: they lie, they kill. Their terrorism to this planet is done with words, with guns and with bombs. They simply reject anything that detracts from their prophet or their idol of worship and the key is they don't reject it...they ATTACK it. They snuff out (or claim to) any dissent.

As I have professed over and over here at Holger Awakens, that this "religion" of islam is not a religion - it is a political ideology, you can see the quick rise to anger associated with an ideology and NOT a religion. Every religion known to Man has been ridiculed throughout time...whether it be Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc - we have pornographic pieces of "art" depicting Jesus Christ, we have desecrations of the Bible...heck, we even have little plastic Buddas sitting in dimestores. And when is the last time you saw an edict for the killing of those that did that?

Islam continues to impress me with its deep-seated anger, its shaky foundation of belief and its turn to violence in every possible situation. Let 'em rejoice in the streets of Gaza and Pakistan over a made up burned Dane, but it won't change their lives of misery or their dreams to bring that misery to you and to me.

God punished caricaturist that depicted Prophet Mohammed !A few days ago an email about the death of the caricaturists that depicted Prophet Mohammed reached my mail box. It made me think a lot and I would like to share my reflections on the subject with you.First let me inform you about the content of this mail message. It reads as follows: “The Danish caricaturist creature which draws caricatures of our master Prophet Mohammed has reportedly lost its life by burning as a result of the outbreak of a fire in his home. The Danes wish nobody hears this news. Everyone should send this mail to everyone they know and let us announce this news as widely as possible…”The subject line of this mail reads, “My Got how great you are.” I did not have time to check if the caricaturist has actually died but the level of the hate and the cruelty reaching out from this mail has scared me. According to this person, if anyone draws Prophet Mohammed’s caricature, than he/she deserves a death by burning alive. This is a comment and it may be exaggerating the feelings of a Muslim against a person who is deemed to insult Islam. However, it is a well-known fact that in Islamic countries religious clerics do not hesitate to issue a fatwa ordering the killing of these people, who are believed to have insulted Islam or its Prophet. Everyone knows that Salman Rushdie has long suffered from a fatwa ordering his killing wherever he is found. A Dutch film maker was killed in the Netherlands, just because some people believed that his film insulted Islam. In 1993 in Sivas, Turkey 35 intellectuals and artists lost their lives in the Madimak Hotel which was set on fire by some “Islamist fanatics.” A few days before the incident, a leaflet was intensively distributed to the local people. In the leaflet, Aziz Nesin was accused of insulting prophet Mohammed and he was compared with Salman Rushdie. I am not a religious person and I do not have deep knowledge about Islam. One thing I know though there are many incidents, and extremely brutal acts are justified in the name of Islam. Islamic countries are at the top of the human rights violators list. Flogging, stoning, amputations, head severing and death penalty are still used as “punishment.” If I were a Muslim I would devote most of my time and energy to struggle against this mentality.

The Legend.....

but should danger ever come, then Holger Danske will rouse himself, and the table will burst asunder as he draws out his beard. Then he will come forth in his strength, and strike a blow that shall sound in all the countries of the world.

- Hans Christian Andersen

Holger Danske

....he is stirring

Holger Awakens

An American of Swedish, Norwegian and not the least, Danish descent.

A fighter of islamofascism and islamic jihad, a defender of the U.S. Constitution and America, a full supporter of the U.S. troops and the state of Israel and a true conservative at heart, but above all, before all...a humble servant of Jesus Christ.